Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, is under fire for telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games. The comment was heard in an audio recording obtained by TMZ. (File photo by David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

LOS ANGELES >> Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling faced intense criticism Saturday after TMZ released an audio recording purported to depict him making racist comments to his girlfriend and telling her not to bring black people, including basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, to his games.

“We are in the process of conducting a full investigation into the audio recording obtained by TMZ. The remarks heard on the recording are disturbing and offensive, but at this time we have no further information,” the league said in a statement.

TMZ did not explain how it obtained the recording, which it says is from April 9.

“Why are you taking pictures with minorities? Why?” Sterling purportedly said to his girlfriend in the recording. “It bothers me a lot that you want to … broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?”

“I want you to love them, privately…. But why publicize it on Instagram and why bring it to my games?” the recording continued.

The voice goes on to chastise the woman for posting a photo of herself online with Magic Johnson.

“Admire him, bring him here, (expletive) him, I don’t care. You can do anything. But don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games, OK?”

TMZ identifies Sterling’s girlfriend as V. Stiviano. In the recording, the woman says she is of mixed race.

Donald Sterling has been married to his wife, Rochelle Sterling, for more than 50 years but she made no public comment on Saturday.

Los Angeles Clippers President Andy Roeser released this statement Saturday afternoon in response to racist statements allegedly made by Sterling on an audio recording .

“We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or (if) it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape — who we believe released it to TMZ — is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would “get even.” Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them. He is also upset and apologizes for sentiments attributed to him about Earvin (Magic) Johnson. He has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him — both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved. We are investigating this matter.”

Johnson took to Twitter Saturday morning and posted “TMZ reported this morning that Clippers owner Donald Sterling doesn’t want me or other African-Americans to come to Clippers games,” he posted on the social network. “And I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.”

“I feel sorry for my friends Coach Doc Rivers and Chris Paul that they have to work for a man that feels that way about African-Americans,” Johnson Tweeted.

Paul released a statement through the players’ union that said “this is a very serious issue which we will address aggressively.” He also said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star guard who is the chairman of a search committee to find a new director for the union, would take a leading role to help players address the matter.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said players discussed boycotting Game 4 of their first-round playoff series at Golden State on Sunday during a 45-minute team meeting but quickly decided against it.

“I think the biggest statement we can make as men, not as black men, as men, is to stick together and show how strong we are as a group,” Rivers said. “Not splinter. Not walk. It’s easy to protest. The protest will be in our play.”

Paul and Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin declined further comment on the issue after the team’s practice at the University of San Francisco. Other players were not made available as Rivers said he would speak for the team.

“A lot of guys voiced their opinions. None of them were happy about it,” Rivers said. “This was a situation where we’re trying to go after something very important for us, something that we’ve all dreamed about all our childhoods. Donald or anyone else had nothing to do with that dream, and we’re not going to let anything get in the way of those dreams.”

Sterling is a courtside fixture at Clippers home games. But he rarely visits the team’s locker room at Staples Center, although he made an appearance in December 2012 after the Clippers won their 11th straight game, when he led an awkward locker room cheer.

NBA Commmissioner Adam Silver spoke Saturday night in Memphis, Tenn., before the Grizzlies’ game against Oklahoma City, repeating that the league finds the audio tape “disturbing and offensive” and that Sterling agreed to not attend the Clippers’ game Sunday at Golden State.

“All members of the NBA family should be afforded due process and a fair opportunity to present their side of any controversy, which is why I’m not yet prepared to discuss any potential sanctions against Donald Sterling,” Silver said. “We will, however, move extraordinarily quickly in our investigation.”

Silver said the NBA needs to confirm authenticity of the audio tape and interview both Sterling and the woman in the recording. The Clippers will be back in Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday night.

“We do hope to have this wrapped up in the next few days,” Silver said.

The Internet exploded with reactions and calls for Sterling to be removed, ranging from activist Al Sharpton to rapper Snoop Dogg, who appeared in a profanity-laced video lambasting Sterling and calling him a racist.

Jacky Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, said the organization planned a protest outside Game 5 of the Clippers-Warriors series Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

Miami Heat star LeBron James asked new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to take aggressive measures, saying “there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league.”

“Obviously, if the reports are true it’s unacceptable in our league,” James said. “It doesn’t matter, white, black or Hispanic all across the races it’s unacceptable. As the commissioner of our league they have to make a stand. They have to be very aggressive with it. I don’t know what it will be, but we can’t have that in our league.”

In Dallas, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said “I have plenty of opinions, just not going to share them. He fended off several inquiries before saying: “Obviously, if any business or entrepreneur says or does things that aren’t congruent with what the organization is trying to convey, that’s a problem. But it’s not my problem.”

Warriors coach Mark Jackson, who played for the Clippers from 1992-94, said of Sterling’s comments: “My feeling would be the same, no matter if I was coaching, playing or a fan. There’s no place for it.”

Staff Writer Ryan Hagen and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brian Day is a crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News. He has covered crime in Los Angeles County for the Southern California News Group since 2007.

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